At least 50 people have been killed after a train derailed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, authorities said.
Steve Mbikayi, the Minister of humanitarian affairs, said the accident happened at around 3am local time, in the town of Mayibaridi in the southeastern province of Tanganyika, reports independent.co.uk.
“Speaking for the government, I present my condolences to the families affected,” he said on Twitter.
The derailment also injured 23 others, and the death toll could climb as people are still trapped underneath the train.
Rescue workers have been sent to the scene, Mr Mbikayi added.
The cause of the derailment is not yet known, but they often happen because of the cost of maintaining railways and trains.
Workers from the national railway company say they have several years of unpaid wages.
